Phin Phanatic
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Ryan Tannehill: What Should Miami do Next if his Season is Over?

By Zachary Goodhue

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 4: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 4: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill /
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Late Thursday night, Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington reported that the Miami Dolphins fear that Ryan Tannehill will need season-ending knee surgery. If this comes to fruition within the next couple of days, what is Miami going to do to prepare for this upcoming season?

To make today even worse for Dolphins fans, Barry Jackson reported that Ted Larsen, the projected starting left guard, will be out at least a couple of weeks with a biceps injury. After today’s training camp practice, there are more questions than answers going into the preseason.

The 2017 Miami Dolphins have a talented roster, especially on offense. Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, DaVante Parker, Julius Thomas, and Jay Ajayi are very solid skill position players that compliment each other well. The questions left on offense are who is going to be the starting quarterback and left guard to enter the season?

At the quarterback position Matt Moore is the next man up.  He played well the last three weeks of the regular season last year as well as one post-season game, but is his play enough for him to play the entire season? Matt has never played a full 16-game season in his 10 year career.

Based on his performance last season, Matt Moore seems capable to take on the starting quarterback role to begin the season, but he should be given competition to prove why he deserves it. Two options have appeared as quarterbacks Miami could be interested in. Josina Anderson reported Thursday that Colin Kaepernick has been mentioned within the front office as a possible replacement if Ryan Tannehill’s injury is serious. Jeff Darlington later reported how Jay Cutler, former Chicago Bears quarterback who played under Adam Gase previously, would be interested to play for Gase again if the money works out.

Miami has other options other than Moore, Kaepernick, or Cutler but these seem most likely. If I replaced Chris Grier, the current General Manager for the Miami Dolphins, I would sign Jay Cutler. Jay has played under Gase before and understands his system. He would be ready to come into training camp right away and compete for the starting job when other quarterbacks may need more time to adjust.

Jay Cutler played his best season under Gase and he may play even better with the offensive weapons that Miami currently has. Who knows maybe even Cutler takes another step under Gase and plays at an average to above-average quarterback level.

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What Tannehill’s injury also could mean is that the Miami Dolphins may be interested in selecting a quarterback early in what seems to be a deep 2018 quarterback draft class. This will give them a solid insurance policy if Tannehill is not the same player he was before his knee injury.

The other question on offense now is who will be the starting left guard to start the season? With Ted Larsen out at least a couple of weeks Anthony Steen, Isaac Asiata, Kraig Urbik, and Jake Brendel will all be fighting for the starting guard spot opposite Jermon Bushrod. Not many quality guards are left in free agency, so Miami will most likely have to rely on the players they currently have on their roster or to trade for one.

With both of these injuries it is hard to predict what the Miami Dolphins will do next, but trust needs to be placed in Adam Gase and the front office’s hands. They did wonders with a less talented team last year and it is reasonable to expect the team to play better under Gase’s system for a second season.

Even though fans may look at the season being over before it started, trust in the organization to do what is right because they have earned it. No matter who they sign, draft, or trade for they have one goal in mind and that is to improve this football team.

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